Economic suicides in the Great Recession in Europe and North America

AaronReeves, MartinMcKee, DavidStuckler

DOI: 10.1192/bjp.bp.114.144766 Published 12 June 2014

AaronReeves

Aaron Reeves, PhD, Department of Sociology, University of Oxford, Oxford; Martin McKee, DSc, MSc, Department of Public Health and Policy, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London; David Stuckler, MPH, PhD, Hon MFPH, Department of Sociology, University of Oxford, Oxford and Department of Public Health and Policy, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK

Aaron Reeves, PhD, Department of Sociology, University of Oxford, Oxford; Martin McKee, DSc, MSc, Department of Public Health and Policy, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London; David Stuckler, MPH, PhD, Hon MFPH, Department of Sociology, University of Oxford, Oxford and Department of Public Health and Policy, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK

Aaron Reeves, PhD, Department of Sociology, University of Oxford, Oxford; Martin McKee, DSc, MSc, Department of Public Health and Policy, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London; David Stuckler, MPH, PhD, Hon MFPH, Department of Sociology, University of Oxford, Oxford and Department of Public Health and Policy, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK

Abstract

There has been a substantial rise in ‘economic suicides’ in the Great Recessions afflicting Europe and North America. We estimate that the Great Recession is associated with at least 10 000 additional economic suicides between 2008 and 2010. A critical question for policy and psychiatric practice is whether these suicide rises are inevitable. Marked cross-national variations in suicides in the recession offer one clue that they are potentially avoidable. Job loss, debt and foreclosure increase risks of suicidal thinking. A range of interventions, from upstream return-to-work programmes through to antidepressant prescriptions may help mitigate suicide risk during economic downturn.